Back-brace.



G. W. GIBSON.

BACK BRACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1913.

1,098,492, Patented June 2, 1914.

a! l r W @MM UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. GIBSON, 0F PLUMERVILLE, .AIR-KANSAS.

BACK-BRACE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Guiones W. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at llumerville, in the county of Conway and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Back- Braces, of which the following is a specificag tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in back braces, and is particularly adapted for use by cotton pickers, locomotive firemen, or other persons who must bend over frequently.

An object of this invention is the provision of a back brace which will distribute the strain normally imposed upon the back by bending to the shoulders, chest and thighs.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a back brace comprising a back strap, to the upper end of which a chest strap and shoulder straps are secured and to the lower end of which a waist belt and thigh straps are secured whereby when the wearer of the brace bends forwardly or from side to side, the strain will be relieved from the back and distributed to the shoulders and thighs.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my device showing it applied to a person; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof removed from the person.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral l designates an elastic back strap which extends longitudinally of the back of the wearer, and secured to the upper end of the back strap is an elastic chest strap 2 which extends under the arms and around the chest. Elastic shoulder straps 3 are also connected to the upper end of the back strap, each of the shoulder straps being adjustably and detachably connected, as at 4f, to one end of the chest strap, .whereby the size of the brace may be adjusted to tit per Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 21, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914;.

Serial No. 769,076.

sons of various sizes. Secured to the inner face of the back strap l at its lower` end is a back pad 5 which is formed of leather or other suitable material, the pad 5 being adapted te rest against the small of the back. Secured to the outer face of the back strap 1 at its lower end is a waist belt 6, and connected to the waist belt G and the chest strap 2 on opposite sides of the back strap are auxiliary elastic back stra-ps 7. The straps 7 forni an essential feature of my invention as they serve to maintain the waist strap and chest strap in proper' relative position when the device is in use. If but one strap, namely, the main strap l, was employed the strain thereon would result in such pull on the chest strap 2 and waist strap or beit 6 as would cause undue pressure on the body of the wearer. This disadvantage is overcome by the strap 7 which serves to distribute the strain and reduce to a minimum any possible compression. Secured to the back pad 5 is a pair of depending diverging elastic straps 8 which are connected intermediate of their ends by a cross strap 9 and which extend over the hips of the wearer. Connected to the lower end of each strap 8 is a leg strap 10 which is adapted to engage around t-he thighs of the wearer of the brace.

l/Vhen the brace is arranged upon the body of the wearer, it will be seen that when the person bends forwardly or from side to side, a portion of the strain thereby imposed upon the back will be taken up by the Straps 8, and the shoulder straps 3. A device constructed in accordance with my invent-ion, may be readily secured to a person, and will be extremely eilieient in use, and cheaply manufactured.

That I claim is:

A. back brace comprising a back strap, a chest strap connected to the upper end of said back strap, a waist belt connected to the lower end of said back strap, auxiliary back straps connected at their opposite ends to said waist belt and said chest strap on opposite sides of said back strap and spaced therefrom, shoulder straps connected to the upper end of said back strap and to said chest strap, a back pad connected to the inner face of said back strap at its lower end, In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my diverging hip straps depending from Said Signature in the presence of two witnesses.

back pad, a cross strap Connecting said hi) straps intermediate of their ends, and il GEORGE WY' GIBSON thigh Strap connected to the lower end of vitnesses: i

each of said depending hip straps, as and for T. Gr. LARDUS,

the purpose described. CI-IAS. EARL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

